Justice News

Jamaican Woman Guilty of Lottery Scam Targeting Elderly Victims

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Jamaican citizen pleaded guilty today to orchestrating a lottery fraud that scammed elderly victims out of approximately $385,000.

According to court documents, Tessicar Karelle Jumpp, 34, conspired with several of her family members and associates to scam elderly victims out of their savings. From her home in Jamaica, Jumpp contacted victims in the United States and used an alias to pretend to be a representative of Publishers Clearing House. Jumpp falsely informed her victims that they had won a lottery prize of millions of dollars, but that in order to collect their winnings, they would need to pay taxes and advance fees. Jumpp then instructed her victims to send funds through wire transfers and in packages of cash mailed to her co-conspirators in the United States. Those co-conspirators would keep a portion of the funds and then send the remainder to Jumpp and others in Jamaica. Jumpp’s victims included an 85-year-old woman from Great Falls who was scammed out of over $335,000, and an 85-year-old Massachusetts man who was defrauded out of almost $50,000.

Earlier this year, the Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners coordinated the largest sweep of elder fraud cases in history. The cases involved more than 250 defendants from around the globe who victimized more than a 1 million Americans, most of whom were elderly. The cases include criminal, civil, and forfeiture actions across more than 50 federal districts.

Jumpp was extradited to the United States from Jamaica and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. She faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on August 10. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Joseph Cronin, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Brian A. Michael, Acting Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark Field Office, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, III accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha Bateman is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:14-cr-416.